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- To: ar-news@envirolink.org
- Subject: Australia - Macaques.
- Message-ID: <3.0.1.32.19970922151810.006bb15c@lisp.com.au>
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- Since September, 1994 International Primate Protection League - Australia
- has written letters and campaigned to have an investigation carried out
- into reports we had received about the treatment of macaque monkeys at
- Microsearch. Their monkeys were euthanised approx 12 months later.
-
- We finally got a reporter to listen. The following appeared in the Sun
- Herald on the 21.9.97. Reporter Heath Gilmore.
-
- Monkeys used for experiments were mistreated at one of Sydney's top
- medical research centres which is associated with several prominent people,
- it has been claimed.
-
- A copy of the NSW Government report obtained by the Sun Herald showed
- concerns about the treatment of primates at a "leading institute", the
- Microsearch Foundation of Australia.
-
- The concerns centred on "the conditions in which the animals were housed".
- It is understood up to a dozen macaque monkeys were used in foetal surgery
- research and to back up work investigating the reconnection of severed
- arteries, nerves and veins.
-
- The Animal Research Reveiw Panel's report for 1995-96 said some of the
- research had involved multiple procedures at the institute, which was
- contrary to the code of practice which outlines care and use of animals in
- scientific procedures.
-
- It added that the centres "ethics committee had failed to demonstrate
- adequate consideration of research proposals".
-
- Former RSL president Sir William Keys, Lady Sonia McMahon and CSR's
- outgoing chairman, Allan Coates, are among prominent people serving on the
- Foundation's board. Lady McMahon was a member of the Foundation's animal
- care and ethics committee at the time.
-
- The foundation is well connected in the corporate world, with Macquarie
- bank's David Clarke, Ferrier Hodgson senior partner Ian Ferrier and
- Commonwealth Bank chairman Tim Besley serving on it executive council.
-
- The Animal Research Review Panel, a State Government body, imposed a
- temporary suspension on the use of monkeys by the non profit foundation,
- formed by Australian pioneer of microsurgery Professor Earl Owen.
-
- A Department of Agriculture source said the institute has suspended the
- use of monkeys as part of the foundation's general licence to use animals
- in research.
-
- Agriculture Minister Richard Amery has tabled the 95-96 report in
- Parliament. It details several problems with the "prominent institute".
-
- Professer Owen, 62, the first Australian president of the International
- College of Surgeons, said the use of animals in pioneering microsurgery was
- essential.
-
- He was the first surgeon to reconnect a severed digit to a two year old
- child at the Royal Alexandra Hospital for Children in 1970.
-
- The foundation used animal experimentation to pioneer the effective
- replacements of limbs and digits by microsurgery; foetal surgery,
- overcoming problems of infertility in men and women; long nerve grafts;
- cross-facial nerve grafts; reversal of vasectomies and tubal ligations;
- nerve regeneration and microlaser surgery.
-
- Dr Owen said Microsearch had always been a group of devoted humanitarian
- surgeons and assistants pushing ahead with ground-breaking research.
-
- "In certain research, you have to use animals," he said. "I would prefer
- that not to be the case but it is needed".
-
- "We have kept our animals in conditions always ahead of best recommended
- practice by the authorities. We thoroughly back the government regulations
- which are essential to prevent any pain and discomfort".
-
- "We have no plans to use primates again".
-
- "Our very sucessful foetal research using monkeys was concluded two years
- ago before the closure of our old facility at Surry Hills".
-
- International Primate Protection League, Australian President Lynette
- Shanley first complained about the treatment of the monkeys almost three
- years ago.
-
- She has since joined the foundation's ethics committee and a month ago
- wrote a letter to the state government expressing concern that experiment
- proposals had been approved without adequate consideration.
-
-
-
- Lynette Shanley
- IPPL Australia
- PO Box 60
- PORTLAND NSW 2847
- AUSTRALIA
- Phone/Fax 02 63554026/61 2 63 554026
- EMAIL ippl@lisp.com.au
- Date: Mon, 22 Sep 1997 01:23:27 -0400
- From: allen schubert <alathome@clark.net>
- To: ar-news@envirolink.org
- Subject: (US) American Still Loves Hamburgers
- Message-ID: <3.0.32.19970922012322.006d6b60@clark.net>
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-
- (Just goes to show that people don't learn (even from the e. coli thing....)
-